The other day I did my morning round. At the second bridge, I usually turn off so as not to take the same route back home.

Something happened that day that I have never experienced before.

Shortly after turning, I heard something like a phone ringing. I didn’t have one with me. The last walkers I saw were already out of earshot.

I took 3 steps further and the ringing was still there.

So curious, I took 3 steps back and discovered a lonely phone in the grass. I noticed an expensive modern telephone. The caller was not anonymous – we’ll call him Mr. Trust here.

I wondered if I should lose weight (it’s not easy to touch someone else’s phone). I also briefly thought if it was a trap, but immediately dismissed this thought…

I approached it skeptically and curiously at the same time. Mr. Trust seemed to be genuinely relieved. He gave his full name and said:

“My wife lost her phone.” “She went for a walk, must have been by the river.”

“She asked me to call as many times as I needed until someone approached.”

Wow, how trusting, I thought to myself.

Since I saw 2 people on the horizon at that moment, I asked:

“What’s she wearing?”

He: “I don’t know”

I wondered he didn’t know that. At the same time, I remembered a conversation with my husband that I can’t remember what someone’s hair has, but I can remember what the person is wearing (a story in itself).

Eventually, we agreed that I would stay at the bridge while he informed his wife.

He called again promptly and said, Mrs. Trust is returning to the bridge. Before I hung up, I asked if his wife had a dog. “Yes,” he said, “a black dog.”

So I had a clue.

It didn’t take long before the relieved Mrs. Trust came towards me, the dog probably happy that they went for another round. I asked her, “Have you lost anything?”

Mrs. Trust looked at me confidently and said yes. I gave her the phone, we exchanged a few words and she said, “You’re an angel.”

I, slightly embarrassed, thought: Wow, how easy it is to be an angel.

At home, I told this story to my husband and he said, “This is really a beautiful story.”

And the story reminded me of my mother saying:

“Be kind to everyone you meet along the way.” “You don’t know what role these strangers might play in your life.”
I add: And the courage to trust.

I find the idea of Mr./Mrs. Trust to let the phone ring, someone will help us, clever and touching at the same time.

Maybe you’re an angel today, too.

Maybe today you trust strangers more instead of distrust.

Merry Christmas.